Magik
by Gindokei
Summary: A series of drabbles and short stories based on the 22 major arcana of a tarot card deck. Starring characters from FMA and IY alike! T for safety. Now up - XIV, Temperance.
1. Index

_Magik_

**AN: Hey there, guys! I decided to go ahead with this series on the major arcana ****–**** combining FMA and IY characters! This is just an introductory index to tell you which character corresponds with which card.**

**0 The Fool – Shippo**

**1 The Magician – Izumi**

**2 The High Priestess – Kaede**

**3 The Empress – Olivier Mira Armstrong**

**4 The Emperor – Inutaisho**

**5 The Hierophant – Wrath**

**6 The Lovers – Rin and Kohaku**

**7 The Chariot – Kikyo**

**8 Strength – Mustang**

**9 The Hermit – Alphonse**

**10 Wheel of Fortune – Kagura**

**11 Justice – Scar**

**12 The Hanged Man – Koga**

**13 Death – Edward**

**14 Temperance – Kagome**

**15 The Devil – Greedlin**

**16 The Tower – InuYasha**

**17 The Star – Winry**

**18 The Moon – Kanna**

**19 The Sun – (can't think of an FMA character to correspond with this ****–**** help?)  
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**20 Judgment – Sango and Miroku**

**21 The World – Father and Hohenheim**

**I haven't put THAT much thought into choosing certain people for certain cards, so if you have any suggestions, feel free to notify me.**

**I'm still stuck on _Evergreen_'s finale, for any of my IY readers... don't expect the epilogue anytime soon. ): I'll try to have Shippo's drabble up soon, as well as number four in the Kikyo series.**

**~ Dream  
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	2. The Fool

_Magik_

**AN: Drabble number one! Bear with me – I haven't had much experience writing Shippo, so I'm probably quite bad at him.**

**Also, card number nineteen ****–**** the Sun ****–**** will be represented by Nina Tucker. Thanks, Marie, for the suggestion!  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters associated with it. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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**0 – The Fool

_**Shippo**_

Just because I'm young doesn't mean I'm stupid. Yes, I'm naïve, and yes, I'm a bit of a prankster. But that doesn't mean I can't see what's right in front of my eyes. I'm no fool.

It's the little stuff I notice – stuff people would never think a kid like me would take the time to see. I travel with four people who are all very different from each other, yet they are all attracted to each other in strange ways. It sometimes makes me feel left out, when Miroku starts flirting openly with Sango or when Kagome not so subtly cuddles into InuYasha. I'm always the odd one out.

In more ways than one, really. I'm the only full demon in our group. Well, I suppose Kirara counts, but she can't talk. I can't talk to her about how I feel when I see my companions slaughter others like me. It's a strange feeling, like my stomach is twisting in two, but I'm not sorry. I'm never sorry for _them_.

It's weird, how everyone seems to assume that little kids don't care about anything other than playing, eating and sleeping. That may be true of human kids, but I'm different. I have feelings, too. Why can't anyone ever see that? Even Kagome, who's always so kind to me, never treats me like I have a brain of my own. It's always 'Shippo, remember this' or 'Shippo, don't do that'.

Does she think I'm a fool?

I can take care of myself. I really can.

Okay, so maybe not when a really angry half-dog demon is after me because I've eaten his food. But apart from that! I can fend for myself!

I may not have seen much of the world, but I've seen enough.

Do you know, when Sango thinks no one is looking, she prays? It's nothing big – she just hurriedly puts her hands together and mutters something under her breath. No one can really tell what she's saying – not even I can, with my superior demon hearing. But I think I can guess who she prays about. He's still not out of Naraku's clutches, after all.

Do you know, when Miroku thinks no one is looking, he puts his hands inside his robes and touches something he stored there? I don't know what it is, but I think it's hair. Whose hair – I'm not sure. And sometimes, I see him staring at Sango. He never looks like that at the girls in the village. I wonder why Sango doesn't see him looking at her like that. Maybe it's because he never lets her.

Do you know, when Kagome thinks no one is looking, she takes out the little bottle in which the Shikon shards had been placed in, and stares at it? It's usually at night, when she thinks the rest of us are asleep. The bottle was smashed, and the jagged edges of the broken glass sometimes cut her fingers, but she always patches herself up before morning. Sometimes, I want to help, but children should be quiet, shouldn't they?

Do you know, when InuYasha thinks no one is looking… aw, he _never_ thinks no one is looking, so I can't tell you what he does. He's always alert. He always thinks there's an enemy nearby. It's sad. I lost my father, too – but I'm not as distrustful as he is. I've heard stories of how he treated Kagome when he first met her – he was so rude! I'm never sure if Kagome is making things up or not, but I trust her. She wouldn't lie about something like that.

So I notice all these things. I notice that Sango prays, Miroku treasures and Kagome remembers. I notice that InuYasha never lets us fall behind. I notice that Kirara always sits on Sango's shoulder when she's not in her full demon form. I notice things. Doesn't that prove I'm not a fool?

On second thought, even a fool would be able to tell you some of the things I have. Even a fool would be able to tell you that Kagome looks at InuYasha like my mama used to look at my papa. Even a fool would be able to tell you that Sango is always angry at Miroku because she loves him. Why else would she care how he behaved?

They're all the fools, though. There's so much about me they don't know, they don't take time to know because I'm just a kid. They don't know that after my mama died, my papa tried very hard to take care of me – but it didn't always work. He was a demon, and it isn't in a demon's nature to be kind to others, not even their own offspring. They don't know that whenever my papa's eyes turned black, I would quietly slip away and return only hours later. They don't know that I knew how to keep my mouth shut and my eyes averted, even back then.

That's okay. One day, they'll find out. Until then, I'll be quiet, and keep watching them.

I'm not a fool. I'm just young.

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**AN: -dodges flying projectiles-**

**855 words.  
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	3. The Magician

_Magik_

**AN: Drabble number two – this time, it's Izumi. For anyone who knows about tarot cards – yes, I'm aware that 'I – The Magician' is a deeply masculine card, but Izumi fits.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_** or any of the characters associated with it. They all belong to Ms. Hiromu Arakawa.**

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**I – The Magician

**_Izumi Curtis_**

I never thought I was a magician. I never felt like I could do things others couldn't.

But I can.

Alchemists are funny people. Some of them think they're far superior to others, merely because they have the ability to rearrange a few atoms and molecules. And others, like me, can even feel like we're _below_ normal people, because alchemy transforms us.

I'm not a magician. I'm a human. A human who has done terrible things with the help of my 'magic'.

Alchemy isn't magic. Most people don't seem to realize that. It's not that you can make something out of nothing. Alchemy has been compared to art, magic and science, but it most resembles science. It is a precise art, and you need to know what you are doing before you begin to transmute any substance.

Common people don't understand that. They see a performing alchemist, and all they realize is that some people can draw a circle, some squiggles and 'magically' make something appear inside the circle. I've known many cheap alchemists who desecrate their honor and perform as street magicians to earn easy money.

We're not magicians, though. We should stop pretending we are. We're not sorcerers, or witches, or anything. Come up with any other name you like, but in the end, it is the single word that describes us – _al-che-mist_.

Many children in the town of Dublith come to me to have their numerous broken things fixed. A cracked figurine – a torn doll – a mangled toy train wheel. They're always disappointed when I use common household tools to fix their things. They always ask me why I don't just clap my hands together and fix it.

And I tell them the same thing every time. You can't always rely on alchemy.

I know my history. I know that many years ago, during the beginning of Amestrian history, a man came to us from the great desert in the east. He taught us the basics of alchemy. What most people don't seem to realize is that this means there was a time we humans did not know the science of alchemy.

There may be a time again when we will not be able to depend on alchemy to solve everything for us. Because I am prepared for that eventuality, I use my hands as often as possible – to mend, to heal, to comfort.

It's amazing what a pair of hands can do. Much more than any magic wand.

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**AN: 413 words. Much shorter than the previous one. I can't write Izumi, either. Sigh.**


	4. The High Priestess

_Magik_

**AN: Kaede this time, and in third person, not first.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**InuYasha**_** or any of the characters associated with the series. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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**II – The High Priestess

_**Kaede**_

Ever since her sister had passed into the void, Kaede had been regarded as the highest authority to go to in case of anything spiritually related. She knew that people sometimes left her simple hut unsatisfied – she would be the first to admit that the gift Kikyo had possessed would never manifest itself in her. Still, she tried. She tried very hard. Being as young as she had been, and having only one eye – no one thought a handicapped girl would be able to help them.

She had.

Many years had passed since Kikyo had died, leaving the world along with the Shikon no Tama. Kaede had gained vast amounts of experience in those years, and she had begun to understand how rough her sister's life must have been.

Families usually pledged one daughter to the village shrine, so it was not unheard of to have several shrine maidens inhabiting a single village. Kaede had always wished she'd been chosen – the things her sister learned at the shrine had seemed so exciting and mysterious. But it wasn't until much later that she learned that Kikyo's teachings had been far above those given to a common priestess – Kikyo had a _gift_, and people had seen it in her. They had elevated her, placing her on a pedestal and teaching her things none of the other shrine maidens could ever dream to know.

Kikyo had been the high priestess of the village. And now… now, Kaede was.

The old woman clapped one hand to her blind eye as the small black eye patch slipped. She felt its edge digging into her sagging cheek, and hurriedly readjusted the knot at the back of her head. She knew perfectly well how much her eye patch disturbed people, but she also knew that they didn't want to see what was under it.

Day in and day out, she occupied herself by mixing herbs, dealing with any ailments brought to her and honing her powers. Even after fifty-odd years, her powers were still not as great as Kikyo's had been. Kaede found that she was forced to practice every day, lest her spiritual powers weaken. Her old age did not help – many people told her that a priestess's powers often faded with age. Kaede had held onto her spirituality surprisingly well, they said.

It was only in the evening that she was finally left alone. Kaede heaved a weary sigh as she settled down on the wooden floor of her hut, squinting with her single eye as she listlessly picked at some herbs she'd gathered the previous day. Most of them were useless – mere weeds. She couldn't remember why she'd plucked them in the first place.

She sighed again and pushed the basket aside, folding her hands and placing them in her lap. It was lonely. A priestess was supposed to live in a state of isolation, always separate from the rest of the village. She remembered how her sister had very rarely visited her family, and that only when someone had a problem. Kaede rubbed one hand across her wrinkled forehead, feeling a third sigh bubble up in her chest. She stifled it quickly.

She had no right to be so lethargic. She herself had volunteered to succeed her sister as a shrine maiden. She had toiled long and hard to achieve her current, exalted position in the village society. What was there to regret?

The corners of her mouth turned down slightly. People had almost forgotten Kikyo. No one spoke of her sister when they visited her anymore. No one compared Kaede to Kikyo, critically commenting how the earlier priestess had been far more adept at healing or archery. Still, Kaede continuously compared herself to her sister, and found herself lacking each time.

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**AN: I obviously don't know if families in a village pledge a daughter to the shrine or not. My Japanese general knowledge is zero… sorry if that made-up piece of information angers anyone. Definitely not one of my best works, sorry to all readers. :(  
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**629 words.**


	5. The Empress

_Magik_

**AN: Major General Olivier Mira Armstrong, now. In this case, I am not using the meaning of the card 'III – The Empress', as it represents 'the mother of all'. I'm playing on the name of the card, really.**

**Disclaimer: I own no part of the **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_** franchise. The person responsible for its creation is Hiromu Arakawa.**

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**III – The Empress

_**Olivier Mira Armstrong**_

There was not a single person who would deny that Olivier Mira Armstrong ruled at Briggs Fortress.

She knew that newer recruits often muttered things about her behind her back, rebelliously calling her the 'Ice Queen'. She didn't mind – that much was evident from the fact that those men still worked for her. Such names did nothing to upset her – on the contrary, they filled her with confidence. Briggs Fortress was surrounded by blizzards and storms, so it was only fitting that she, the monarch of the place, was called the Ice Queen.

She wore the title proudly.

Major General Armstrong didn't hide things. She was an open person, both with acceptance and anger. If she was displeased with a certain military official, she minced no words when she told him or her so. If she was pleased with someone's work, she made sure to let him or her know – not always personally, but in some way or the other. Olivier Armstrong never let good work go unnoticed, or bad work go unpunished.

She was more discreet than her brother, that was true. You would never see her reacting to personal tidbits of information, much less exploding into tears and embracing the person, as Alex did. She suspected that was why she was called the Ice Queen – because she seemed so disinterested in her fellow officers' personal affairs.

It was true. She didn't really care about his latest tiff with his wife or her latest purchase. She made sure to keep her friendships – if one could call them that – at a strictly professional level. Olivier didn't care if her subordinates gossiped behind her back; all she cared was that when it came down to business, they would follow her orders.

Her entire life had been dedicated towards serving her country. From infancy, she had been brought up to believe that there was no greater good than joining the Amestrian military and achieving renown.

As she stared across the table, into Lieutenant General Raven's crookedly smiling face, she felt her stomach clench in disgust. Military politics was a given – there was no escape from it. But what Raven was talking about… she had to fight to keep her blank expression in place. It wouldn't do to let him know what she _really_ thought of his plan.

She knew even an empress, powerful as she was, could be dethroned.

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**AN: Hmm. 397 words.**


	6. The Emperor

_Magik_

**AN: Inutaisho – as I believe InuYasha and Sesshomaru's father is called – now. You have to admit he's one of the first characters who jump to mind when you say 'emperor'.**

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own any part of the **_**InuYasha**_** franchise. All characters belong to Ms. Rumiko Takahashi.**

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**IV – The Emperor

_**Inutaisho**_

He was sure his followers wondered how such a morally driven demon could possibly rule the Western Lands. He had no such qualms. His morals didn't come into play when he ruled his subjects.

Inutaisho was renown for his fighting prowess, for his fierceness in battle and his contrasting gentleness outside of it. It was not to say that he was a saint – demons and saints were two opposite poles, never to meet, after all. But he was kind enough that rumors spread about the new King, and his insistence to adhere by just laws.

Never before had the demons of the West heard of such a thing. Some rebelled, seeing the new leader's 'justice' as a sign of weakness. Inutaisho quickly put the rebels in their place, crushing their feeble resistance in one fell swoop. Although he was often spoken out against after that, no one else dared to lead a full-scale revolt again.

He mated with a lady of prestige, fathering a son and heir. He thought he would never be as proud as he was that day – when his mate finally stepped aside and revealed his pup. Demon emotions were muted at best – they were driven by their instincts, not their feelings. But some strong emotions still remained, and familial ties were the strongest in the world.

Inutaisho was firmly convinced that he would live on to rule the Western Lands for many more years to come. He hadn't expected such an immense distraction in the form of a simple raven-haired woman.

Only weeks after meeting Izayoi, he had set aside his mate and child, wrapping himself up in her smile and her embrace. She didn't care that he was demon and she was human. She didn't care that he was Lord of the Western Lands, and she a nobleman's daughter. All she wanted was him.

Her affection had been intoxicating, to say the least, but Inutaisho had never dreamed of falling in love with her.

Slowly, inexorably, he found himself growing happier and happier at the queerest things – the way she tossed her head when she laughed, the way she interlaced her fingers in her lap when she was thinking, the way she spoke to him, in that soft, caressing voice. He knew what they were doing was wrong – every touch, every word, every emotion went against his very nature. Demons were not supposed to be so gentle.

But he didn't care. He was a lord – he _made_ the rules! He could break them if he wanted to!

As he curled up next to her and watched her breathe, he didn't know what his actions had reaped. He didn't know that within a year, he would be dead, and Izayoi alone with a half-breed son.

Not even lords could flout the rules without suffering the consequences.

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**AN: Oh, ew. I'm sorry, but I could not find ANY way to make this better. Believe me, I tried. I just can't get a grasp on Inutaisho's character, and I wanted to make this a drabble, not a full-fledged story. I think it came out too rushed, but I liked parts of it.**

**470 words.**


	7. The Hierophant

_Magik_

**AN: Now it's Wrath – manga!Wrath, not anime!Wrath. As in, Fuhrer Bradley Wrath. I figure **_**The Hierophant**_** is a good representation of him, as he's the Fuhrer of all Amestris. Almost as good as being a holy figure, eh? (Please don't take that seriously if you're religious.)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_**. All characters belong to Ms. Hiromu Arakawa.**

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**V – The Hierophant

_**Wrath**_

As the colonel's pet dog talks to you of playing house, you feel an absurd urge to laugh. It is a strange feeling – since that fateful day when you transformed from 'presidential candidate' to Fuhrer King Bradley, you have been consumed by only one emotion, and that is the wrath of Father. Laughter and anger do not intersect at any point.

"Playing nation would be more apt," you remark casually, accepting the teacup she offers you. After some time, she leaves you, your final words probably still ringing in her head – "I chose my wife myself."

You are not sure why you told her such a thing. As you absently sip the tea she has made – your taste buds have long since stopped caring what you feed yourself, and so do not notice its taste – you stare out of the large windows behind your desk, out across the grounds of Central Headquarters.

You recall a conversation held with Pride, not too long ago, about the time of the youth. You had found the homunculi's attempt to stop the humans amusing then. You had felt the urge to laugh then, too.

Why?

You carelessly place the teacup and saucer on the edge of your desk, sure that they will not fall. The eye patch impairs your vision terribly, but you can still see so much more than you could as a human.

Sometimes, you think it is far too perfect to continue. Situated at the top of the entire country, gifted with extraordinary senses. Something must give eventually.

You tap one finger against your chin and close your eyes. Roy Mustang's subordinates have all been transferred. You hold his dearest subordinate as a hostage. Everything seems to be in order.

Then why do you feel so tired?

It is not as if you have experienced a change of heart, as some people would love to believe. You are simply weary of the endless plotting and secrecy. The other homunculi do not age, but you can feel time taking its toll on your body. What if Father's plan does not come into fruition before your old body fails you? For one panicked moment, you fear death's embrace. The out-of-place emotion soon vanishes, leaving you Father's perfect Wrath once more.

Still, you cannot help but wonder – what happened to the man who feared nothing at all, not even a wrath far bigger than his own?

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**AN: Enjoy? Guess that's all I can say. Don****'t take Wrath****'s weariness the wrong way ****–**** there is NO way he****'d ever want to switch sides, and there****'s no way I****'d ever even suggest that in a fic. He****'s just feeling his age catch up to him.  
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**402 words.**


	8. The Lovers

_Magik_

**AN: Drabble number seven – on Rin and Kohaku. Why didn't I take a 'proper' pairing, you might ask? Like Sango and Miroku or InuYasha and Kagome or anyone else? Because I think people tend to use the love angle of 'The Lovers' too often. The card ALSO represents friendship, which is what I will try to show.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own _InuYasha_. All characters belong to Ms. Rumiko Takahashi.**

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**VI – The Lovers

_**Rin and Kohaku**_

Rin and Kohaku have almost nothing in common. She's talkative, he isn't. She smiles often, he doesn't. She makes friends easily, he doesn't.

At least, that is how it appears to others who manage to catch more than a glimpse of them. They seem like polar opposites – a bubbly, vibrant girl and a quiet, solemn boy.

The truth couldn't be farther from that.

Both of them have experienced great loss – while Rin had to hear her family being tortured to death while in hiding, Kohaku slew his family and friends by his own hand. Both of them should be dead, but aren't. And most importantly – both thoroughly idolize Lord Sesshomaru.

They have enough in common to form a friendship.

"Kohaku! Kohaku!"

The boy turns, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly in a faint smile. "What is it, Rin?" He has long since ceased to address the young girl formally – Rin found the very idea of a boy older than her calling her 'Miss' utterly foreign, and had told him to stop before he even started.

The girl draws closer, and he sees the bouquet of flowers in her hands. His dark eyes gleam knowingly. "More flowers for Lord Sesshomaru?" he asks her, abandoning his previous kneeling position for a more comfortable sitting one. He had been thinking of his sister, and had felt compelled to offer a prayer for her safety.

Rin grins widely. "What do you think?" she asks him cheerfully, thrusting the wildflowers into his face. Kohaku scoots backwards to avoid pollen up his nose, but his smile stays firmly intact. It is, he reflects, practically impossible _not_ to smile around Rin. The only exceptions to the rule would be their other two travelling companions.

"They're very pretty," he tells her politely, his smile widening ever so faintly as she beams happily at him. He's never had a proper friend before – his only companions had been his sister and his father. Kohaku had been shy, and unable to get close to people when he was younger.

Now, since everything has changed, he expects it to be harder to make friends, not easier. Yet something about Rin's winsome smile and manner draws him to her like a moth to a flame.

Kohaku has been through so much sadness, and to find a kindred spirit that can still laugh gladdens his heart.

"Do you think so?" Rin presses him, waving the flowers before him – some of the more delicate ones loose a few petals. "I found them over there. I made sure to get all the best ones, not the dead or ugly ones."

She offers him a smile, and Kohaku reciprocates instantly. "They're perfect," he reassures her, touching one silken petal lightly. "You really have a knack for collecting the best flowers, Rin."

Her face falls slightly. "Before… I used to always go out to pick flowers. Mama liked the house smelling of fresh flowers."

Kohaku winces, upset that he has brought up a tender topic. Rin's dark eyes still look sad as she returns her attention to him.

He holds her gaze steadily. He knows shared tragedy is not a solid base on which to build a friendship – it is too easy for either of them to be overwhelmed by their losses. But he has hope yet for this relationship.

"Shall I come with you to give them to him?" The warm sun feels nice on the back of his neck, and he has shed his demon slayer's uniform, so his legs are bare. He stands and looks down at the girl, offering her a hand. He merely intends to hold the flowers for her until she can give them to Lord Sesshomaru.

Rin laughs, and he is momentarily taken aback by the sound. Her swift transition from sadness to joy startles him, but what startles him more is when she places the bouquet tenderly in his hand and wraps his fingers around it.

"It's for you," she tells him, and he has never heard sweeter words.

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**AN: Aww… the beginning seems a little shaky to me, but I like the rest. This is the first time I've written young Rin and happy-ish Kohaku. Whee.**

**671 words.**


	9. The Chariot

_Magik_

**AN: Number eight now – this is Kikyo's. I think 'The Chariot', a card about balance, represents her pretty well. (:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of **_**InuYasha**_**. Everything belongs to Ms. Rumiko Takahashi.**

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**VII – The Chariot

_**Kikyo**_

Life was all about balance. Balancing the good with the bad – the cruel with the kind. Existence itself was a balance of life and death.

Kikyo had never been good at balancing things.

To her, it was all about extremes. At first, it was duty. Ever since she had been given the Shikon no Tama to guard at a very young age, she had concentrated all her efforts upon protecting the jewel. She had not allowed anything else to distract her from her sole duty. Not friends, not family, not anything.

No balance.

And then, when InuYasha appeared, just as she was growing tired of the burden of the jewel – she wrapped herself up in him. In his stubbornness, in his fierce glares and his rare smiles. She went to the other end of the spectrum – abandoning duty altogether and allowing herself to be swept away by the excitement of their friendship.

No balance.

Then, hatred. When she had died, she had been full of loathing, and that hate festered along with her living body. When the hag Urasue coerced her soul out of its sleep, she had been so _angry_, she felt as if her anger had been absorbed by her very bones.

She became unreasonable, refusing to listen to all the believable stories that Kaede and InuYasha tried to tell her. She allowed her hatred to consume her.

No balance.

Then, obsession. Obsession to drag InuYasha down with her, into the world of the undead. She went to lengths that shamed her thoroughly, tying up an innocent girl and stealing souls from girls with tragic lives. All for naught. InuYasha did not go with her.

No balance.

There had been no kindness to temper her duty. No responsibility to temper her wildness. No love to temper her hatred, and no logic to temper her obsession.

What had she become?

Kikyo exhaled slowly, her eyes screwed shut as the bubbles rose to the surface of the lake. Her entire body pulsed with pain as she felt Naraku's malicious miasma work its evil on her mud-and-bones body.

Now, it seemed that there was no chance to make amends. Naraku had not slain her outright, but his miasma would not be cleansed. She would die again, her mission incomplete, her heart still angry and regretful.

When she felt Kagome's hands on her shoulder, her eyes snapped open in puzzlement. The schoolgirl pressed the holy grave soil into the jagged wound created by the miasma, and Kikyo wondered.

Was this girl the weight at the other end of the scale?

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**AN: I can't help it – I just LOVE whatever I write about Kikyo. It might not be spectacular to you guys, but I adore this piece.**

**428 words.**


	10. Strength

_Magik_

**AN: The card 'Strength' represents Mustang so well – especially after chapters 93, 94 and 95 of the manga! See, the card is supposed to represent baser instincts being controlled. Mustang's primal rage towards Envy was kind of an example of his animal instincts. So this drabble is based off those three chapters.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_**. Ms. Hiromu Arakawa is responsible for the creation of these characters.**

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**VIII – Strength

_**Roy Mustang**_

I have never been described as strong.

Cunning, yes. Ambitious, definitely. Idealistic – that was Hughes' favourite word for me. But never strong. Mentally, at least.

I wondered about that sometimes. I thought I was a strong person. I occasionally allowed my emotions to sway me from the logical path – like when the lieutenant had been attacked by Gluttony – but everything had turned out fine then, hadn't it? So I wasn't in the wrong, technically.

Physically, I am an imposing person. With my arsenal of flames, I doubt there are many people who would not hesitate to stand up to me. I command respect.

Isn't that strength?

I thought it was. But now I realize… I realize why I am so weak, inside and out.

How could I allow my rage to consume me so fully? My anger at Hughes' killer had simmered for a long time. I'd asked the homunculus Lust and our own Führer about the murderer, but I had been foolish enough to ask them merely if they had committed the crime. I never thought to ask them about the true perpetrator.

And then, when I finally found out…

If Riza and Scar had not been there, I would have done it. Even though Edward was standing in my way, I wouldn't have hesitated to unleash my flames and scorch him along with the despicable creature he'd held.

_Envy_.

I would have destroyed myself along with them. All my dreams and hopes and ideals would have ended there. I thought I had the eyes of a killer – but at least I had killed for my country. If I had killed Envy, I would have killed for myself, and for my insatiable rage – and _that_ would have made me a true murderer.

My inability to control myself makes me weak.

My confidence in my physical strength makes me weak.

I am like a lion, too absorbed in my own brute force to notice the trail of devastation I could be leaving behind.

I am glad of one thing, however. I am glad I have a maiden on whose lap I can lay my head, and can feel her confidence in me.

* * *

**AN: Oh, good grief. This is my first time writing Mustang, and I don't think I will be repeating the experience anytime soon.**

**362 words.**


	11. The Hermit

_Magik_

**AN: Alphonse's turn! **_**The Hermit**_** is a good card for him, I think – it's a healing card, and it suggests looking inward for self-knowledge.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_**… Ms. Hiromu Arakawa created the series!**

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**IX – The Hermit

_**Alphonse Elric**_

"Good night, brother."

"Mmgh… 'night, Al…" Edward's eyes fluttered shut, and his snores soon filled the room. Alphonse Elric smiled inwardly at the sight of his brother's body sprawled across the bed and settled down on the sofa, ignoring the small grumble that left his brother's lips. Edward proceeded to entangle himself in his blankets as he flopped around, and Alphonse cast a glance in his direction to make sure that his brother was all right. Edward's face, however, was free of lines – he was obviously dreaming about something good.

Alphonse didn't like nighttime much. Being so alone… it unsettled him. He was a friendly person by nature, and enjoyed nothing more than being surrounded by friends and family. When night fell, however, and big brother went to sleep… there was no one to distract him from his worries.

Alphonse spent the daytime constantly worrying about others. He usually had to intervene several times a day to prevent his brother from maiming someone, just because of a misinterpreted comment. Granny Pinako hadn't been far off, when she said that Alphonse acted like his parent. They both carried burdens that had aged them far beyond their physical age – and although Edward's burden was just as heavy as his, his big brother still had no problem acting like a complete child at times.

So although Alphonse was afraid of the night, sometimes, he enjoyed it. It gave him time to think about himself, and things that concerned him and him alone.

Surely there was nothing wrong in being selfish sometimes? He knew there were many people who hoped and prayed for the day he would get his body back. He knew his big brother would do everything in his power to set right the mistake they'd both committed. But he couldn't help feeling afraid.

A small breath rattled out of Alphonse's helmet, and he wondered distractedly where the breath was even coming from. How was he able to speak? He didn't have vocal chords, or lungs, or any organs whatsoever. How was he still able to _see_? It made no sense.

The worrying thoughts about his missing body reminded him of his original thought. What if he never returned to his body?

The question was constantly on his mind. No matter what he was doing, where he was, it pervaded his senses. It was his greatest fear, and he didn't know how to get rid of it.

He'd brought it up a few times with Edward, but his brother had assured him that no such thing would happen. Alphonse wished fiercely for his brother's optimism and stubborn faith.

The night brought out his deepest fears and showed him how ugly his heart truly was. The light behind Alphonse's eye-holes dimmed.

"Al?" Edward had woken up. "Al, what's wrong?"

Alphonse jerked his head upwards and stared at his big brother. "Nothing," he spoke softly, attempting to sound as if he was smiling. "Nothing, brother. Go back to sleep."

Edward frowned and slipped out of bed, causing the blanket to drop to the floor. "What's going on?" he asked softly, settling himself down on the sofa next to his brother. Alphonse avoided eye contact and shook his head.

"Nothing," he repeated, sounding less convincing than before. "It's nothing."

His big brother brushed messy golden bangs out of his eyes and tapped the side of Alphonse's helmet. "That's not fooling me. Tell me what's wrong," he commanded softly.

"I…" Suddenly, Alphonse wanted to be comforted. He opened his mouth to tell his brother everything –

_You can't_.

Alphonse paused. Edward had so much on his shoulders already… it wasn't fair to add another burden to him. This was _his_ fear, his nightmare – and maybe he needed to deal with it himself.

_I can heal myself._

He'd once told Master Sergeant Fuery that he was still a child – that a child wouldn't want to go against the flow of the world, and regain something he'd lost in repentance for a sin.

He still wanted his body back – how badly he wanted it back! – but maybe, just maybe, it was time for him to grow up a little, in a way he hadn't thought of before.

"Go back to sleep, big brother. I'm fine."

* * *

**AN: This is probably the worst one I've come up with so far… I know it's for Alphonse, but I couldn't resist adding concerned Ed into the mix, too. Their relationship is just so special.**

**Second time writing Alphonse… don't kill me! -ducks-**

**709 words.**


	12. Wheel of Fortune

_Magik_

**AN: Kagura's turn – inspired by the second episode of **_**InuYasha: The Final Act**_**. (:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**InuYasha**_**.**

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**X – Wheel of Fortune

_**Kagura**_

_This isn't fair._

_All I ever wanted was to be free… free as the wind…_

Kagura sank to her knees, her blood-red eyes hazed with pain and her breath coming out in strained pants. She sucked in a breath and tasted blood on her tongue. Closing her eyes, she slumped forward, feeling her entire body pulse with pain.

_Pulse… that was what I wanted all along, wasn't it? A pulse. A heart._

The cursed organ continued to beat a steady rhythm, pumping poisoned blood to all parts of her body. Kagura pressed weakly at her chest, at the hole created by Naraku's hated tentacles, and let out a strangled gasp of pain.

_Curse him… to give me my freedom, only to snatch it away with death…_

She opened her eyes and stared bleakly ahead, taking in the lovely surroundings through bitter, cynical eyes.

_All my life, I've suffered… I stayed with Naraku, working for him, spying for him, even though I deplored him with all of my being… then that brat, Hakudoshi, came along… then InuYasha and his stupid, naïve friends… my every gamble has ended in ruin, and this will be my last mistake._

Her breath rasped out of her, and Kagura closed her eyes again.

_Nothing I've ever done has turned out as it should have. My fortune has always been off-kilter – how cruel of Naraku to grant me what I wanted the most…_

Kagura – strong, rebellious, cunning Kagura – felt her body shake in suppressed sobs.

_It's not _fair_._

_It's never fair._

Swallowing, tasting the bitter-salty taste of her miasma-poisoned blood, she opened one eye tentatively, half-wishing to see the dungeon of one of Naraku's hideouts.

She caught a glimpse of wide, billowing white pants, and her eyes flew open in shock.

Sesshomaru stood before her. His silver hair moved slightly in the faint breeze, and the expression in his golden eyes was inscrutable.

"Kagura." He acknowledged her.

"Sesshomaru… what are you…"

"I scented blood and miasma."

She let out a weak, harsh laugh. _And even the demon I nurse such passion for comes to mock me before I die._ "You must have thought I was Naraku, huh? I'm sorry to disappoint you," she replied, trying to inject a note of brashness in her tone.

Sesshomaru regarded her thoughtfully. "I knew it was you," he said slowly.

Her heart jumped. Kagura's disbelieving eyes rose to meet his. "You… knew…?"

Sesshomaru did not respond.

The corners of her mouth curled upwards in a smile. _Fate has not been kind to me… but it is rarely kind to anyone. Perhaps it has been kinder than I thought._

Silence. Then –

"Are you leaving?" he asked in a soft voice. If Kagura hadn't known better, she would have thought he was being gentle.

"Yes," she sighed, feeling the pain ebb away. "This is enough for me."

She closed her eyes.

_I would live this life over a hundred times, if only I would see you at the end of it, each time._

_

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_**AN: I don't think I got the idea of 'The Wheel of Fortune' across quite well, but basically, Kagura's life has sucked. Seriously. So I was just trying to portray that although her life has sucked, and although she died after receiving the one thing she wanted most, the wheel of fortune doesn't **_**always**_** land on 'lose'. Eh.**

**My first time attempting a Sesshomaru/Kagura relationship.**

**500 words.**


	13. Justice

_Magik_

**AN: I'd originally planned on posting this as a one-shot, but then I realized how it fit with Scar's theme of justice for _Magik_. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_**.**

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**XI – Justice

**_Scar_**

"Mister Scar?" The young girl looked up at him with anxious eyes. "You… you will be all right, won't you?"

The stoic man did not offer her any sort of comfort apart from a slight pat on the head. "I will be fine, Mei. Do not worry. Continue home to your kinsmen."

The girl looked down, her braided hair brushing his bare arms as she shook her head slowly. "I… I wanted to stay… stay until they…"

Scar exhaled slowly. "You should not tarry here. Your job is done."

The girl looked up again, blinking away tears. "It's not if you might be in danger."

Scar's face twisted ever so slightly – Mei's insistence on protecting him was often quite laughable. How would a tiny snip of a girl protect him, the self-proclaimed 'right hand of God'? He rubbed one hand across his face, feeling the faint depression across his forehead and eyes that marked him.

"I will be fine," he repeated, glancing around the cell. "Please leave."

Mei's eyes brimmed with tears. "I will be back, Mister Scar! I promise you!" She brushed the back of her hand across her eyes and flung herself at him. He made no move as she hugged his torso fiercely. "Please take care!"

With those last words, the Xingese girl exited his prison.

Scar took a seat on the hard bed they had provided for him. It was better than what most prisoners got, and he was used to sleeping on the very ground itself, so its hardness did not bother him. Not even the dankness of his surroundings could faze him. Scar was fully prepared to accept his punishment and atone for his sins.

He was glad that Mei had listened to reason and decided to leave for Xing as soon as possible. He didn't want her to be present for the trial, not after what the newly instated President had told him.

"I'm sorry," the Flame Alchemist had said when he had visited Scar's cell, not even two hours ago. "But you know what awaits you."

Scar had inclined his head. "I do."

"And you will not resist?" Did he hear… _admiration_ in Roy Mustang's voice?

"If I intended on resisting, President Mustang, I would not have allowed your men to capture me in the first place."

Mustang had laughed shortly. "True enough. Everyone's telling me what a good job I've done, capturing the most dangerous criminal in years just after being handed the Presidency." The man had held his gaze, black boring into red. "Your trial will be in three days' time."

Scar's mouth had quirked into a semblance of a wry smile. "Three days? I thought everyone was worried I'd escape. Why would they delay my trial?"

Mustang had shrugged. "We still need to put ourselves back together. I'll come for you in three days."

As the man had left the cell, Scar had seen his constant companion – the woman with blonde hair and eyes a red that almost rivaled his own – pat him on the shoulder.

Scar gazed at the stone ceiling of the prison, concentrating on each breath he inhaled and exhaled.

Now, there was nothing left to do but wait.

* * *

"The assassin known as Scar has been arrested for murder of State Alchemists. If pronounced guilty, his sentence will be immediate death by execution."

Scar stood in front of the judge, his head held upright and his red eyes defiant. He refused to bow his head before anyone.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Scar?" the judge asked, peering down at him through thick glasses. The Ishbalan tilted his head backwards and allowed his chin to jut forward proudly.

It was now or never.

"I plead guilty," he spoke steadily. The courtroom was filled with gasps, and he could feel a few pairs of eyes boring holes in the back of his neck. No doubt one pair belonged to the golden-haired Fullmetal Alchemist.

Even the judge seemed surprised.

* * *

"I pronounce you… guilty."

Scar closed his eyes, unsurprised at the verdict.

* * *

"Scar."

The man raised his head, finding himself face to face with a very pissed young man.

"What the hell are you playing at?" Edward Elric exploded, his golden eyes narrow with indignation. "Why did you plead guilty?"

Scar held his gaze steadily. "I am not a coward. I am not afraid."

Edward seemed to deflate at his words. "I don't get it," he muttered, passing one hand over his face. "All this time… you never wanted to be caught… you never wanted to be brought in front of a court, or receive your judgment. Why now?"

Scar glanced down at his right arm. The tattoos were still there.

"It is time," he spoke simply. "I cannot run any longer."

"Dammit," Edward snapped, "why the hell are you being so calm about this? Do you not understand what's happening? You're going to _die_ in two hours."

"I am fully aware of the fact, thank you."

"Are you happy to be dying, Scar?" Edward sounded unusually quiet as he stared at the Ishbalan assassin steadily.

The man sighed. "No. No one wishes to die. But I realize… the cycle of hatred must stop. And this is the only way."

"By _dying_? Are you trying to be noble? That's shit! Nobility only gets you killed, you're not going to land up in a history book for this!"

Scar raised one hand. "Enough." His voice held an edge of anger. "I tire of your shouting, Fullmetal. Please leave me."

Edward shook his head slowly. "I never thought you'd be one to just give up, Scar."

* * *

He wasn't giving up.

As Scar made his way to the execution courtyard, flanked by Riza Hawkeye and Heymans Breda, he was not afraid. He was only accepting the end, as he had known it would come.

Riza Hawkeye moved to draw a blindfold over his eyes, but Scar stopped her. "Don't," he murmured, and the sharpshooter nodded slowly before pocketing the cloth.

He faced the gunmen and held his head high. He hoped he would be the last man to die by a military gun for a long, long time.

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**AN: Yay for out-of-character Scar… honestly, Scar **_**has**_** to die, let's be very serious. Even if he survives the Promised Day, there's no way anyone could let him walk free, after everything he did.**

**One day, I am going to write a parental!ScarMei fic. (:  
**

**1,028 words.**


	14. The Hanged Man

_Magik_

**AN: Koga's turn!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**InuYasha**_**.**

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XII – The Hanged Man

**_Koga_**

Ever since his tribe was slain, Koga had felt as if he was stuck in a suspended state. He didn't care about daily affairs that had earlier interested him – he no longer paused often to eat or drink, only when he was in dire need. He'd never been overly regular about his hygiene, either, but what little grooming he'd performed was quickly stopped. He existed merely to track down the murderer of his brothers and sisters.

At first, he had thought it was InuYasha – the half-demon certainly seemed to hate him enough, and his powerful sword would have been capable of slaughtering his companions. When he'd found his tribe's true killer – and seen their corpses dance before him – he had felt well and truly sick to the stomach. After that, he pursued Kagura and Naraku with a single-minded determination.

He'd never felt uncomfortable in his suspended state. The fire of vengeance drove him day and night, and the Shikon shards in his legs let him evade danger, time and time again. Every time he thought he was getting closer to Kagura, to Naraku, to finally avenging his comrades, life dealt him a twist and sent him right back to the beginning. He'd never tired of it. He'd kept going, because he knew he would never be able to live again until his brethren were at rest.

He longed to take Kagome away with him from time to time – longed to take her and run as far as he could, so that no harm would come to either of them. But he couldn't. Not just because of her obvious affection for the half-demon – she would have probably gotten over the rude idiot anyway, and would have come to love him as fiercely as he loved her – but because he _couldn't_. Something kept him from acting by himself, from running away and leaving Naraku to the others. His pride, maybe, but it was something else, something deeper – the wolf's instinctual loyalty to his fallen pack mates.

Koga never dreamed of bowing out of the fight before the end – but as he stared at his slender, muscled legs, he had to admit that he wouldn't be able to help InuYasha and his group any longer. Without the Shikon shards, without his incredible speed, he would only be a hindrance.

And yet… Koga wasn't fully disappointed with his lot. Kagura was dead. Naraku would soon be dead. He was free, free of the responsibility that the Shikon shards had forced upon him. Free to return to his home.

His new life would certainly not be as exciting as his old – but Koga didn't mind.

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**AN: 'The Hanged Man' represents a person in a suspended state, a person who is not at all in discomfort while in this state. I thought it represented Koga quite well, as he was completely driven by the need to avenge his tribe after their deaths. It also indicates a period of rest and relaxation, which comes after he loses his shards.**

**I always picture Koga as a slightly naïve character – childish in ways, like his hopes that Kagome will eventually love him, and his insistent quarrels with InuYasha. But he has a mature side as well, the side that is alpha male of his pack and the side that leads him to feel responsible for his tribe's massacre.**

**440 words.**


	15. Death

_Magik_

**AN: Edward represents the 'Death' card quite well – not just because he's nearly died several times, but because during the course of his story, he's undergone a rebirth of sorts.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_**.**

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**XIII – Death

**_Edward Elric  
_**

Edward Elric has looked death in the eye quite a few times.

He's been in danger often, so often that he's almost used to it. He was well aware of the perils of being a state alchemist, especially at such a young age. Not to mention that he was constantly putting himself in danger to protect the ones he loved.

Edward Elric was no stranger to death. It had touched him when he was very young, and it had broken him so completely that he hadn't been sure he would ever be able to rise again. But he had.

And yet… why was it that he was so _terrified_ of what he'd just gone through?

His ordeal in Gluttony's stomach had certainly been no picnic. It had filled him with despair and anguish and a burning rage. Envy's confirmation about what had happened to the people of Cselkcess had disgusted him, much more so because Envy seemed to have _enjoyed_ telling him. And Ishbal! The freak had _laughed_ while he talked about the bloodshed! Edward had never felt so terribly angry at anyone before, not even his bastard of a father.

But he'd overcome his anger and disgust, and had eventually teamed up with Envy to get Ling, Envy and himself out of the false Portal of Truth. He'd used Envy's life force, the Philosopher's Stone, as the toll to pass through the Gate of Truth.

He'd transmuted himself, a living being into a living being. He'd physically broken himself down into the simplest particles and rearranged himself so that he was exactly the same.

So why didn't he _feel_ the same? Why did it feel like he'd messed something up when he'd reconstructed himself?

He wasn't the same person anymore, not really. He'd realized, when he came out of Gluttony's stomach, how _much_ he made people worry. When Alphonse had first engulfed him in a bone-crushing hug, all Edward could think of was that his armor was poking him. Then, when Alphonse had set him down and bowed his head, his metal shoulders shaking, Edward was forcibly reminded of the time when _he _had thought he was all alone.

He'd worried Alphonse. He constantly worried the Rockbells, and probably Mustang and his group at Central, too. He was always causing anxiety to those he loved.

Such an epiphany had made him realize one thing.

He was growing up.

Alphonse had realized it, too, when he'd pretended to aim an attack towards the monstrous Envy but had targeted his Father from the beginning – 'Big brother, you've grown!' Winry had noticed it, too – 'You're not a child anymore…' – and although Mustang sometimes tried to treat him like one, the Flame Alchemist, too, realized that Edward Elric was not a boy anymore.

Edward made his way towards Lieutenant Hawkeye's residence and wondered just how much this process of growing up would cost him.

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**AN: 'Death' does NOT signify an actual, physical death. It signifies a rebirth, usually a positive one, and I think Ed experienced just that when he came out of Gluttony's stomach. People always say Ed grew up really fast, but I don't think he grew up **_**properly**_** until he realized how much pain he caused people by taking pointless risks and by not thinking. I really think Ed experienced a rebirth after his transmutation on himself.**

**The penultimate paragraph, about other people realizing Ed is growing up, is not supposed to be from Ed's point of view, because he doesn't know about Winry's observation and Mustang's feelings – not really, for the latter. I should've left it out, but I liked it way too much.**

**481 words.**


	16. Temperance

_Magik_

**AN: Er… don't kill me for taking so long?**

**Disclaimer: **_**InuYasha**_** doesn't belong to me.**

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**XIV – Temperance

_**Kagome Higurashi  
**_

Every time I jump down the Bone Eater's Well, I am mixing together two elements that should never be mixed – the past and the future.

It should disturb me, that I might just be altering the past and therefore the future, but it doesn't. Because sometimes, mixing things isn't so bad. When you mix two different metals, you can get an alloy that is superior to both of the metal used. When you mix a base and an acid, even strong ones, you get a salt and water. Mixing two unlike things is not always a curse or a poison.

One day, I decided to take a pack of tarot cards with me into the feudal era. My mom had just bought them, and they were interesting, so I decided to share them with everyone. I didn't know how to read the cards, but we all passed around the deck and drew a card, just to see what represented us.

I received _Temperance_. The picture was beautiful, but I had no idea what the card meant. Later, when I returned and looked up the meaning of the card, it made me smile.

_Temperance represents a mixing of the four elements. It also is a card for good health._

If only my grandfather knew!

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**AN: 213 words. Not my best, although I had a concrete plan in mind while writing this! Oh, well. I sort of find it difficult to connect with Kagome. ^^;;**


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